Problems associated with inadvertent needle sticks are well known in the art of blood sampling, percutaneous medication injection and other medical procedures involving use of medical needles. Significant attention has been focused on needle stick problems due to the contemporary sensitivity of exposure to AIDS, Hepatitis and other serious blood-borne diseases.
Procedures for removing a needle from a patient commonly require a technician to use one hand to place pressure at the wound site where the needle is being withdrawn, while removing the needle device with the other hand. It is also common practice for an attending technician to give higher priority to care for the wound than is given to disposal of a needle. In the case of typical medical needle devices without safety shields, such priority either requires the convenience of an available sharps container within reach or another means for safe disposal without leaving the patient's side. Providing adequate care while following safety procedures is often compounded by the patient's physical condition and mental state, such as in burn units and psychiatric wards. Under such conditions, it is difficult to properly dispose of a used needle while caring for a patient.
The widespread knowledge and history associated with needle care and disposal problems have resulted in numerous devices for preventing accidental needle sticks. Current devices for protecting medical needles often require two hands, and with some devices the safety status of needle protection is not readily apparent. Other problems of current safety devices include difficulty of use and high cost due to their complexity and number of parts.
There remains a need to provide a more satisfactory solution to a needle safety device.